We do use some fragrance in our products.

As ZAO products are made of natural and organic ingredients, some raw materials such as oils can sometimes give a quite strong and a little unpleasant smell. We use a very small amount of fragrance just enough to cover up this smell and to enjoy the use of ZAO products even more.

Please note that we use hypoallergenic and 100% natural fragrance. In order to limit allergic reactions, this fragrance does not contain any allergens and is introduced in very low quantities in all ZAO products range.

Here are the products which does not contains any fragrance :
- Compact powder
- Fluid eye primer
- Matt eyeshadows
- Volume & sheathing mascara
- Aloe mascara
- Eyeliners
- Pencils
- Eyeshadows powder
- Nail polish (except Nail and cuticule oil)

See also Do ZAO products contain any allergens section

Samkvæmt reglugerð The European cosmetics eru 26 efni sem geta valdið ofnæmisviðbrögðum. Notkun þeirra er takmörkuð og efnin verða að vera í Innihaldslýsingu ef þeir eru til staðar að vissu marki í endanlegri efnablöndu. Markmiðið er að vernda ofnæmisgjarna neytendur með því að veita fullnægjandi upplýsingar þegar kaup fara fram. Neytendur ættu að vita strax hvort snyrtivara inniheldur ofnæmisvaka í því skyni að koma í veg fyrir ofnæmisviðbrögð.

Hér er listi yfir 26 ofnæmisvaldandi efni samkvæmt reglugerð The European cosmetics:
Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl alcohol, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Amylcinnamyl Alcohol, Benzyl salicylate, Cinnamal, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde, Anise Alcohol, Benzyl cinnamate, Farnesol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Benzyl benzoate, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Methyl 2-octynoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Evernia prunastri, Evernia furfuracea.

Þessi ofnæmisvaldandi efni eru oftast til staðar í ilmvötnum.

Hypoallergenic ilmur sem er í mjög takmörkuðu magni í ZAO vörum inniheldur enga ofnæmisvaka. Umfram allt það eru engin ofnæmisvaldandi efni í Zao vörum.

Because of their high sensitizing power, we have chosen not to use essential oils in our products.

Kísill er næringarefni sem finnst í bandvefnum um allan mannslíkamann. Kísill tekur þátt í myndun kollagens og elastíns og stuðlar þannig að endurnýjun ysta lags húðarinnar. Með aldrinum minnkar kísilforði okkar sem leiðir til minnkunar á teygjanleika húðar og steinefna. Þar af leiðandi er kísill mikilvæg viðbót til að viðhalda ysta lagi húðarinnar.

Til eru tvær tegundir af kísli:

Steinefna kísill finnst oftast í formi kristalla. Mannslíkaminn á erfitt með að nýta sér þetta form kísils. Aðeins 10% af innteknum kísil er nýttur í líkamanum.

Grænmetis (eða lífrænn) kísill sem er í bambus er mikið auðveldari fyrir líkamann að nýta. 70% af innteknum lífrænum kísil er nýttur í mannslíkamanum. Lífrænn kísill er mikið notað efni í lyfjum í Austurlöndum. Kísill ýtir undir framleiðslu kollagen og elastín sem bætir styrk húðarinnar, teygjanleika, sveigjanleika, viðnám og hjálpar einnig að viðhalda rakastigi.

Þetta er ástæðan fyrir því að bambus, planta sem er stútfull af lífrænum kísil, er sett í allar ZAO vörur (burt séð frá blýöntum)

Bambusduft
Er efni dregið úr mótum bambusins. Hátt kísilinnihald gerir það steinefnaríkt, viðheldur raka, endurnærir húðina og dregur úr glans sem vill myndast hjá blandaðri og feitri húð.

Þú getur fundið bambusduft í lista um innihaldsefni undir eftirfarandi INCI nafni: BAMBUSA ARUNDINACEA stem powder.

Lífræn bambus vatnslausn (hydrosol)
Þessi hluti er fenginn með eimingu bambuslaufa og inniheldur mikið af lífrænum kísil.

Þú getur fundið lífræna bambus vatnslausn í innihaldsefnalistanum undir eftirfarandi INCI nafni: PHYLLOSTACHYS NIGRA EXTRACT eða BAMBUSA VULGARIS LEAF EXTRACT.

lífrænt bambusmauk (macerate)
Lífrænt bambusmauk er olía tekin úr hluta bambusins sem er neðan jarðar og vex vanalega lárétt. Árlega myndast rætur sem skjótast upp á við, það eru forðageymslur og mikilvæg líffæri.

Eins og bambus púður eða bambus lauf, inniheldur lífræn bambus blanda einnig mikið af lífrænum kísil. Kostir blöndunnar yfir púðrið og laufin er eiginleiki þess að smjúga betur inn í húðina.

Þú getur fundið lífræna bambus blöndu á innihaldslistanum undir eftirfarandi INCI nafni: BAMBUSA ARUNDINACEA STEM POWDER.

Títandíoxíð (TiO2) er hvítt ógegnsætt litarefni sem hefur verið notað í snyrtivörur í áratugi (tannkrem, andlitskrem, líkamskrem, förðunarvörur og fleira). Þetta litarefni er einnig notað í aðrar vörur úr daglegu lífi eins og mat, heimili og bílamálningu, o.fl.

Títandíoxíð er umdeilt í formi nanóagna, talið er að það geti valdið truflun á innkirtlastarfsemi og hugsanlega valdið krabbameini. ZAO vörur innihalda ekki neinar nanóagnir.

Nanóagnir (Nanoparticles) geta frásogast í gegnum húðina og inn í líkamann og safnast þar fyrir. Langtímaafleiðingar þess eru ekki þekktar að fullu. Þess vegna er ný reglugerð frá European Cosmetics þess efnis að hún leyfir ekki efni sem inniheldur nanóagnir.

Zao vörur innihalda ekki títandíoxíð í formi nanóagna. Títandíoxíð er til staðar í zao vörum er í formi microparticles.

Öragnir eru 1000 sinnum stærri en nanóagnir.
Þær fara ekki í gegnum húðina því þær eru of stórar. Þær ógna því ekki heilsu okkar.

Agnir (particles) stærðir:
Öragnir: 10-6 m = 0000 001 m = 1 þúsundasti úr mm
Nanoagnir: 10-9 m = 0000 000 001 m = 1 milljónarhlut af a mm

Títandíoxíð sem er í zao vörum er í formi öragna.
ZAO vörur innihalda ekki nanóagnir.

Nanóagnir (nanoparticles) eru umdeildar og umræður eru uppi um að notkun þeirra getur sett heilsu okkar í hættu þar sem agnirnar frásogast inn í frumur mannslíkamans vegna smæðar þeirra þá komast þær inn í frumurnar. Í líkamanum safnast þær upp og líkaminn er ekki endilega fær um að hreinsa þær út. Langtímaáhrif eru þó ekki þekkt. Þetta er ástæðan fyrir því að samkvæmt nýjum staðli European Cosmos eru hráefni sem innihalda nanóagnir (nanoparticles) ekki leyfð.
Allar lífrænar vörur vottaðar af ECOCERT verða að uppfylla nokkur grundvallaratriði, svo sem þær verða að vera án erfðabreyttra lífvera (GMO), parabena, fenoxyetanól, nanóagna, sílikon, PEG, ilmefna (perfume) og tilbúinna litarefna, eða innihaldsefni unnin úr dýrum (fyrir utan hráefna sem eru náttúrulega framleidd af þeim eins og mjólk, hunang ...).

ECOCERT og Cosmos vottanir tryggja þau skilyrði sem eru sett varðandi lífrænar afurðir. Vottunaraðilar hafa metið sem svo að ákveðin nanóefni er öruggt að ntoa í snyrtivörur. Til dæmis eru títandíoxíð eða sinkoxíð viðurkennd hráefni í lífrænar og náttúrulegar sólarvarnir.

Hins vegar hefur ZAO kosið að taka þetta lengra og vilja ekki nota nanóefni í efnablöndur sínar. Þess vegna biðjum við birgja okkar til að sanna fjarveru nanóefna í hráefnum þeirra.

ZAO vörur innihalda ekki nanóagnir (nanoparticles)

Sjá einnig kafla um títandíoxíð
Sjá einnig kafla um silfurduft

Þungmálmar (nikkel, blý, kopar, króm, sink, kadmíum, kvikasilfur, arsenic, baríum) eru ekki notaðir í ZAO vörur, en eru til staðar sem óhjákvæmileg óhreinindi úr litarefnum unnin úr steinefnum.

Litarefni gefa förðunarvörum lit og mismunandi tóna og eru því nauðsynleg.

Eitt af undirstöðuatriðum lífrænna snyrtivara er að nota aðeins náttúruleg litarefni og hráefni. Náttúruleg litarefni bjóða án efa upp á þrengra svið af litum og tónum miðað við úrval hefðbundinna snyrtivara, en Zao heldur áfram að vinna að því að bæta úrval lita og tóna eingöngu úr náttúrulegum hráefnum.

Við notum aðeins náttúruleg litarefni unnin úr steinefnum í Zao formúlur.
Steinefna litarefnin okkar geta hugsanlega innihaldið leifar af þungmálmum .

Skoðum Nikkel sem er í einu af litarefnum okkar: bleikur litur CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES):

Nikkel er hugsanlega til staðar í þessu litarefni á bilinu frá 0 til 50 ppm eða á milli 0 og 0.005%. (PPM þýðir hluti úr miljón; 1 ppm = 0.0001%)

Hlutfall litarefna í Zao vörum fer aldrei 20%, þá getur mögulega verið að hámarki 0,0001% af nikkeli í endanlegri vöru.

Þetta á við um Zao vörur og allar aðrar lífrænar og náttúrulegar förðunarvörur.

ZAO vörur innihalda hugsanlega óverulegt magn af þungmálmum sem eru óhjákvæmileg óhreinindi í litarefnum unnin úr steinefnum.

It is important to highlight that chrome is not an ingredient added as such in the products.

However, there are two things that you should know about it:

1- Some of our products contain a green pigment, Chromium Oxide Green (CI 77288).
Some people may be sensitive or allergic to this pigment.
If you have an allergic reaction, please consult your doctor or an allergologist.

Here is a list of Zao products where this pigment is used:
- Eyeshadows 116
- Eyeshadows 214
- Lip scrub 482
- Concealer Green 499

This green pigment allows to obtain the shades of green that would otherwise be difficult to achieve. In fact, the palette of natural pigments available for organic certified cosmetics, remains narrow even today.

Since the ingredients present in our products are 100% natural and are certified organic, it is very difficult for us to replace this pigment.

2- All ZAO formulas contain natural mineral pigments.
Mineral pigments can potentially contain heavy metals traces, and therefore insignificant traces of chrome.
See Do ZAO Products Contain Any Heavy Metals section

Intensive cultivation of palm oil, mainly in Indonesia, leads to massive primary forest destruction in favour of palm plantations.

Palm oil and ingredient complexes derived from palm oil are widely used in cosmetic products.

Palm oil is easily recognisable in a product ingredients list by its INCI name which is “PALM OIL”. It may also be identified by the following name: "ELEASIS GUINEENSIS (PALM) OIL".

Cosmetic industry uses many palm oil derivatives, more difficult to identify, because the word PALM does not appear in the ingredients list.

Zao products may contain palm oil derivatives but it is important to understand that it is difficult for us to exclude them as raw material suppliers do not offer other alternatives. We are forced to find ourselves in this situation.

Nevertheless, we are trying to do our best by selecting only RSPO certified palm oil derivatives.

What is RSPO certified palm oil?
RSPO: Round table for Sustainable Palm Oil

RSPO is an association founded in 2004. It aims to promote the growth and use of palm oil that meets specific sustainability criteria at all levels: producers, traders, distributors, etc.

RSPO standard’s set of criteria are applied to all the steps of transformation of palm oil up to its selling. Its aim is to guarantee the traceability of sustainable palm oil, up to the final product.

RSPO certified palm oil shows companies commitment and also certifies sustainability.

You can find more information about RSPO certified palm oil here https://www.rspo.org


RSPO certified palm oil is the best alternative we have at the moment.
However, we do not give up and are trying to find new raw materials.

Here is a list of raw materials derived from RSPO palm oil present in ZAO products:

- SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE
- ZINC STEARATE
- SUCROSE PALMITATE
- PROPYLENE GLYCOL
- GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE
- ASCORBYL PALMITATE
- SUCROSE STEARATE
- GLYCERYL STEARATE

Our suppliers' certificates guarantee that their raw materials are derived from RSPO certified palm oil

Note: PROPYLENE GLYCOL found in our Eyeliners is from vegetable sources, accepted by Ecocert COSMOS.

We also use organic certified palm oil derivatives.
Organic farming prohibits primary forests destruction. This certification therefore ensures that these derivatives are taken from specific palm oil plantations that are not responsible for deforestation:
- ELAEIS GUINEENSIS (PALM) OIL
- GLYCERIN

For other raw materials frequently used as palm oil derivatives, we have managed to find an alternative:

- CETEARYL ALCOHOL-coconut oil derivative
- STEARATE GLYCEROL-coconut oil derivative
- ISOSTEARIC ACID-rapeseed oil derivative

Zao Make-Up förðunarvörurnar sameina skilvirkni (lit, góða endingu, sjónræn áhrif, áferð) og fara vel með húðina. innihaldsefni okkar hafa sérstaka eiginleika, til dæmis:

- Bambus inniheldur hátt hlutfall af lífrænum kísil sem er nauðsynlegur fyrir endurnýjun húðfrumna (sjá kafla um bambus & lífrænan kísil);

- Örfínt silfurduft er sótthreinsandi og náttúrulegt rotvarnarefni (sjá kafla um silfurduft);

- Nauðsynlegar fitusýrur hátt hlutfall af omega-3, omega-6 og vítamín F gefur húðinni liðleika og teygjanleika, stíflar ekki húðina og eykur rakastig húðarinnar.

Nauðsynlegur fitusýrurnar koma úr eftirfarandi olíum og smjöri sem notað er í Zao vörur: lífrænt shea smjör, lífrænt kakósmjör, lífræn kókosolía, lífræn Makadamiahnetuolía, lífræn möndluolía.

- Andoxunarefni vernda gegn sindurefnum og þannig hægja á öldrun frumna og veikingu þeirra.

Hér eru nokkur hráefni sem eru í Zao vörum og eru andoxunarefni:
Lífrænt granateplasmjör, Ginkgo Biloba (musteristré), Lífræn babassuolía, Lífræn hveitikímsolía, þykkni úr rauðþörungum.

Virkni lífrænna innihaldsefna er mun betri en innihaldsefni úr plöntum sem vaxa á hefðbundinn hátt .

Eins og er inniheldur eingöngu Lip Care olían arganolíu.

Hins vegar eru önnur innihaldsefni í öðrum vörum.
Sjá kaflann um virk innihaldsefni fyrir and-öldrun

Ál sölt á borð við Aluminium Chlorohydrate sem notuð eru í svitalyktareyða (deodorants) og antiperspirants er umdeilt efni. Þessi umræða felur í sér ál sölt sem geta aukið líkur á brjóstakrabbameini eftir því hvar það er borið á og magni sem notað er.

ZAO vörur innihalda ekki ál.

Eftirfarandi INCI-heiti er að finna í innihaldsefnalýsingum okkar en eru ekki ál:

- MAGNESIUM ALUMINIUM SILICATE
Er efnafræðilega alveg óvirkt steinefni (leirtegund) sem hefur ekkert að gera með álsalt. Þetta innihaldsefni ógnar ekki heilsu á neinn hátt (í eyelinerum, Aloe vera maskara, mineral cooked powder og mineral silk)

- CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE
Þetta hráefni er ekki álsalt og er talið efnafræðilega óvirkt. Glansandi áferðin gerir ljómann í förðunarvörum.

- CI 77000 (ALUMINUM POWDER)
Þetta hráefni er notað í litarefni fyrir snyrtivörur og eingöngu sett í naglalökkin okkar, sérstaklega í glimmer lökkin.

Glúten er prótein sem finnst í matvælum úr hveiti, bygg, rúg og stundum höfrum. Neysla á glútenfríum matvælum er að verða nútíma næringarstefna.

Sumir einstaklingar í raun þjást coeliac autoimmune disease (sjálfsónæmissjúkdómur sem glúten hefur áhrif á). Til að tryggja að vörur okkar eru henti fyrir þessa einstaklinga, getur þú fundið "crossed wheat spike" lógó kynnt af Afdiag. Þessu merki er stjórnað af AOECS evrópskum staðli með ákveðnar kröfur eins og innri úttektir og áætlun um árlega greiningu. Eins og er, þá er merkið eingöngu sett á mat og vörur óskyldar snyrtivörum.

ZAO vörur innihalda tvö hráefni fengin úr korni, sérstaklega hveiti:
HVEITIKÍMSOLÍU
POTASSIUM PALMITOYL HYDROLYZED HVEITIPRÓTEIN

Þessi tvö hráefni innihalda ekki glúten og við höfum vottun birgis sem tryggir fjarveru þess.

Við getum því verið viss um að ZAO vörur innihalda ekki neitt glúten.

Taking into consideration its bad reputation and the fact that it is a potential endocrine disruptor, we have decided to exclude talc from our products.

Maltodextrin er í raun ekki bætt við í efnablöndurnar okkar.

Hins vegar, er Maltodextrin í vörum okkar sem kemur frá hráefni sem er notað í efnablöndur okkar: Cayoma Olive.

Hægt er að finna frekari upplýsingar um þetta hráefni á heimasíðu framleiðanda með því að smella á eftirfarandi tengil https: //www.qenax. com / vörur / cayoma-R-Olive .

Ef allar efnablöndurnar eru skoðaðar þá getum við sagt með vissu að maltodextrin er eingöngu til staðar í sumum púðrunum með styrk í fullunninni vöru á milli 0.00005% og 0.012%.

Oftast er það unnið úr sterkju og sérstaklega frá hrísgrjónasterkju. Hrísgrjón eru náttúrulega glútenfrí. Birginn okkar staðfestir einnig að maltódextrín er glútenfrítt.

Comedogenic ingredients are not an issue when used in lip, eye lashes or nails products.

As far as other products, we prefer to be careful about using such ingredients.
ZAO would like to limit the use of comedogenic oils and butters in its products as much as possible.

Therefore, you can find the following ingredients that are potentially comedogenic but used in limited quantities to still get their benefits:
– Mineral silk: wheat germ oil (0.5%) and cocoa butter (1%)
– Pearly eyeshadows: soybean oil (less than 1%)
– Compact powder and blush: cocoa butter (1%)

ZAO products are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and acne prone skin.

Það er mikilvægt að undirstrika að sólarvörn efna síur eru bönnuð í náttúrulegum og lífrænum löggiltur snyrtivörum, og flestir þeirra eru skaðleg mönnum og umhverfi.

Aðeins steinefni sólarvörn mega vera lífrænum vottað snyrtivörum. Notkun steinefni sólarvörn sem nanomaterial fyrir sólarvörn er enn umdeilt efni. Þetta þýðir ekki að allar steinefni sólarvörn endilega að vera í formi nanoparticles. Þeir geta einnig vera notaður eins öragnir.


Farðinn inniheldur ekki sólarvörn.

BB kremið inniheldur sólarvörn. Notað er titandíoxíð og sínkoxíð sem fer vel með mannfólk og umhverfi.

Sjá einnig títantvíoxíð kafla
Sjá einnig Nanomaterials kafla

Nail polishes are special cosmetic products for which it is difficult to find certified organic formulas. Indeed, the raw materials available on the market do not allow the formulation of high-performance organic nail polishes (particularly in terms of drying time or durability).

Nevertheless, the ZAO brand has chosen to offer nail polishes free of harmful ingredients (including phthalates) and enriched with silica (bamboo sap). You can therefore use them without moderation!

ZAO nail polish formulas do not contain phthalates, in particular no dibutylphthalate, which is reputed to be an endocrine disruptor that would cause possible irritation of the eyes (watery eyes, conjunctivitis) and upper respiratory tract (rhino-pharyngitis, possible bronchitis); if ingested or inhaled: headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, haematuria, dizziness, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and nephrotoxicity.

In order to offer products that are always more respectful of the environment and your health, our nail polishes are biosourced. This means that in our formulas, ingredients of petrochemical origin are replaced by agro-solvents (derived from corn, potatoes, manioc, sugar cane or wheat) and the formulas contain 76% to 84% ingredients of natural origin.

Finally, like all the products in the ZAO range, ZAO nail polishes are vegan.

Currently Squalene is harshly criticized because the use of squalene of animal origin can be harmful to marine biodiversity. Historically, squalene was extracted from shark liver which resulted in death/exploitation of the species. Unfortunately, some beauty brands carry on using it, either on purpose or not.

However that squalene can also be found in plants (derived from olive oil, cane sugar, amaranth, rice, wheat or sugar beets)

Taking into consideration our respect for the animal world, it was impossible for us to use squalene of animal origin.
As you know, our organic certified products must comply with a number of rules, including selection and traceability of the ingredients. Ingredients derived from dead animals are strictly prohibited (except for cochineal*). Furthermore, our products are also certified Vegan by PETA.
You can therefore be sure that our products do not contain any squalene of animal origin.


What's the difference between squalane and squalene?

Squalene is naturally produced by most plants and animals including humans (it is found especially in human sebum). Its structure is similar to the skin lipids structure. Thanks to its excellent chemical affinity with the skin, it easily penetrates the skin and gives it a silky touch.
Squalene has many benefits. It is an excellent emollient that smooths and softens the skin helping to restore the skin lipid barrier. It is also an indirect moisturiser that protects against dehydration and keeps the skin soft and smooth.

Squalane is a stable derivative of squalene, less sensitive to oxidation.
Being more stable and having the same properties as squalene, squalane is most commonly used in cosmetics.

Squalane and squalene used in ZAO products are of vegetable origin, mainly derived from olive oil.

* cochineal is an insect that produces the carmine red pigment that is accepted as an exception by COSMOS.
(See also Cochineal presence section)

Deep purple pigment is derived from cochineal females (known as Dactylopius Coccus). This insect lives on Opuntia cactus variety, and is mainly cultivated in Latin America, Peru being the world's largest producer.

Dactylopius coccus female is used to produce different shades of red, orange, and scarlet. Also called carmin, this dye is named after the carminic acid found in the body and eggs produced by the female. 

The insect produces this acid under stress to protect itself from predators.

Insects are killed by immersion in hot water (dried afterwards) or exposure to sunlight, steam or the heat of an oven. Each method produces a different colour.

This dye is widely used in food, confectionery, pharmacy and cosmetics to satisfy the natural products demand. It is true that the term "natural" generally sells, but when we know that it takes 70,000 insects to produce 500 grams of cochineal, as well as the extraction conditions of the pigment, then it is obvious that the use of carmine is not ethical.

ZAO respects the animal world and does not use any carmine in the product. The whole range is labelled Vegan by PETA.

This choice is not without consequences, that's why we don't have any red or fushia lipstick.

In fact, our products are certified organic and therefore do not contain any synthetic pigments, the only way to have a red lipstick would be to use carmine because there is no other stable natural pigment of the red colour. In fact, mineral pigments are of ochre, or orange, there is no solid red.

But we continue laboratory trials to find an alternative solution.

First of all, as ZAO products are certified organic and Vegan, they must comply with the strict certification specifications. This can guarantee that our products are safe. Moreover, in accordance with cosmetic regulations, the safety of our products is tested before being put on the market.

Apart from these certificates, we are concerned about having safe formulas without any raw materials that could present a health risk.

Therefore ZAO products are completely safe for pregnant women.

As for nail polishes, even if they are not organic, our Bio-sourced formulas are much healthier than the standard nail polish formulas. They do not present any particular risk.

However, please consult your doctor if you are pregnant before use.

Mainly, it depends on the formula and the area of application of the product. To do this, simply refer to the small symbol in the shape of an open jar on the product labels. In general, it is necessary to count :
- 6 Months for eye products (mascaras, eyeliners) and foundation products
- 12 Months for creamy products (Stick...)
- 18 Months for rinsed products / No water / not to be used as eye contour
- 24 Months for powder products

Mica is used in the cosmetics industry as an opacifier but more particularly to give formulas a pearly and shiny appearance. It is indeed according to the thickness of the mineral and the oxide by which it will be covered that the shine and colour will differ.
Mica is a mineral found in nature, there are different types of mica throughout the world. The most widely used today comes from India, for the simple reason that it is the most qualitative.
Mica today raises an ethical question, particularly with regard to its supply in India, as its exploitation is said to be carried out by children.
On this subject our laboratory has only one supplier who uses Mica from India. However, it is very aware of this problem and has been a member of the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) since 2017. Other suppliers use mica from Spain. All of them have certificates that children do not work in this exploitation.
The Cosmos standard has not included anything on child labour for the moment, but is committed to do so in the next edition.

All the micas used in ZAO products have the No Child Labor certificate.

David Reccole, Founder of the brand, answers: "I was influenced by Eastern philosophies and their way of thinking, especially Buddhism. The idea of a product range focused on bamboo was born in Taiwan. Bamboo plays a very important role in Asia and especially in Buddhism. The name of the brand had to reflect this connection. Buddhism has many expressions and a number of branches. Among them, two are the most well-known and are based on nature observation: ZEN and TAO. ZAO is a contraction of these two words as an invitation to meditation, peace of mind and the search for harmony and authenticity following the example of the nature."

Bambusinn sem við notum í umbúðirnar kemur frá Kína þar sem hann er unninn á staðnum. Serstök verkfæri voru þróuð sérstaklega til að móta bambusinn og er framleiðandinn í nærsamfélaginu nú eingöngu að framleiða umbúðir fyrir Zao Make-up.

Við höfum valið að nota bambus í umbúðirnar vegna glæsilegs og nútímalegs útlits. Einnig erum við sannfærð um að lífrænt vottað förðunarmerki verður að nota náttúrulegar umbúðir. Öll tré binda kolefni en óvenju hraður vöxtur bambusins gerir það að meistara við að fanga kolefni á líftíma þess. Þetta er ástæðan fyrir því að ZAO vörur hafa lágmarks kolefnisfótspor. Alvöru lífrænn glæsileiki!

Bambus er einnig bætt við efnablöndurnar í formi dufts, hydrolate eða macerate. Kaflinn um innihaldsefni FAQ eru með fleiri upplýsingar um þetta.

Bambus sem er notaður í umbúðirnar kemur frá stilkum sem eru 4-5 ára og eru um 10 cm í þvermál. Þeir eru skornir af við botninn og rótarskot mynda strax nýja stilka.

Unfortunately, Giant Pandas now live in small protected areas in central China. The map below shows these areas with brown dots:

Our bamboo forest is situated in the region of Wuyishan, Nanping, Fujian, China which is more than 2000km from the protected area where Giant Pandas live.

In addition, the diet of Giant Pandas is based on two main species of bamboo:

– Sinarundinaria fangiana = Bashania fangiana = Gelidocalamus fangianus which grows between 2300 and 3600 metres above sea level.
– Fargesia spathacea = Fargesia robusta, which grows between 1600m and 2700 metres above the sea level.

In the area where the bamboo is cropped for ZAO, the altitude does not exceed 1000 metres so these species are not present.

The Latin names of our bamboo derivatives are PHYLLOSTACHYS NIGRA for hydrolates, BAMBUSA ARUNDINACEA for powder from the STEM and PHYLLOSTACHIS BAMBUSOIDES for rhizome extract.

The bamboo we use is therefore not a part of Giant Pandas' diet.

Eins og er notum við venjulegt hvítt trélím.

Endurvinnslutækni er mismunandi eftir löngum og sums staðar stutt komin.

Þess vegna eru ZAO vörur sjálfbærar og áfyllanlegar.

Auðvelt og skemmtilegt áfyllingarkerfi geriri það að verkum að þú getur auðveldlega endurnýjað vörunað á hagkvæman og umhverfisvænan hátt með því að kaupa aðeins áfyllingu. Þú heldur bambusboxinu og notar það eins lengi og hægt er. Hver bambus vara kemur í fallegum poka sem ver bambusboxið og endist því enn lengur. Með áfyllingu á vörurnar dregur þú úr kostnaði og umbúðum og getur einnig leyft þér að skipta um liti eins og þér hentar.

Flestar ZAO vörurnar eru áfyllanlegar: hyljari, fast púður, Mineral cooked powder, kinnalitur, Complexion base, fljótandi farði, fastur farði, augnskuggar, primer, augnbrúnalitur, varalitur og varasalvar, laust púður, maskari, eyeliner, varagloss, Lip polish og Lip'ink. Eins og er þá eru eingöngu blýantar, naglalökk og BB krem sem eru ekki áfyllanleg.

Umbúðir ákveðinna áfyllingavara eins og Mineral cooked powder eru gerðar úr endurvinnanlegu PET plasti og sem er gefið leyfi fyrir frá lífrænum vottunaraðilum. Frá því í lok árs 2018 hefur verið unnið að því að skipta umbúðunum út í staðinn fyrir umslag úr pappír.

Áfyllingin af fljótandi farða kemur í túbu úr pólýprópýleni (PP) en varaliturinn kemur í umbúðum þar sem nokkur hráefni eru notuð og þar á meðal ál. Öll eru þessi efni endurvinnanleg.

Augnskuggar, kinnalitir, föst púður og fastur farði eru pressuð saman eða hellt ofan í málmform. Þessar vörur gera verið notaðar sem áfyllingarvörur og formin eru segulmögnuð.

Ál hentar ekki í gerð formanna því það er ekki segulmagnað, þess vegna er notað tin í öll Zao form fyrir vörurnar.

ZAO brushes are made of bamboo (handle) and synthetic nylon (hair). We have chosen to use synthetic hair rather than natural as we are committed to ensuring that no animal is mistreated, injured or killed during makeup brushes production.

In order to effectively clean your brushes, we advise you to wash them in cold water with mild soap to preserve their quality.

If, despite the safety measures we have taken, you notice an allergic reaction while using one of our Zao products, we are really sorry. We advise you to visit your doctor or dermatologist to diagnose and treat the reaction. Your GP will then be able to confirm if the reaction is caused by one of our products or not and you can then inform the relevant authorities.

Afterwards we invite you to contact us to inform about the diagnosis, the name of the product, the lot number and where you purchased it.

In accordance with European cosmetic regulations, we do not test our finished products or the ingredients used on animals. We are also vegan labelled by the PETA organisation, which means that no ingredients used are of animal origin.

Our products are of course tested to guarantee their innocuousness, but these tests are carried out on a panel of people between 20 and 60 years old.

Snyrtivörur þurfa ekki að vera prófaðar á dýrum til að sanna öryggi þeirra.

Í fyrsta lagi, þarf að nota vel þekkt og örugg hráefni, svo sem vottuð lífræn hráefni og hráefni vottuð af lífrænum stöðlu um snyrtivörur (t.d. ECOCERT, Cosmos).

Einnig er gott að hafa í huga að hver snyrtivara var rannsökuð af eiturefnasérfræðingi áður en hún var sett á markað. Þessi sérfræðingur mat öryggi vörunnar. Ef varan uppfyllti núgildandi reglur og stóðst prófið þá getur hún verið sett á markað. Standist vörur ekki þessa prófun má ekki selja þær.

Allar ZAO vörur voru ekki prófaðar á dýrum og hafa staðist öryggisprófun.

ZAO vörur eru framleiddar í Evrópu.

Við vinnum aðallega með þremur framleiðendum, hver þeirra sérfræðingur á sínu sviði sem fer eftir vöruflokki. Við getum greint á milli:

- Blýantar framleiðandi: Schwan, þýskt fyrirtæki með framleiðslu staðsetta í Tékklandi;
- Naglalakk framleiðandi: Fiabila, franskt fyrirtæki staðsett í Eure-et-Loire héraði;
- Makeup removers framleiðandi: Probionat, franskt fyrirtæki staðsett í Bouches-du-Rhône héraði;
- Allar aðrar vörur okkar eru framleiddar með Laboratory Phytotechnical, ítalskt fyrirtæki, staðsett nálægt Milan (Ítalíu). Þetta fyrirtæki hefur verið aðal samstarfsfélagi okkar í yfir 15 ár. David Reccole, stofnandi og forstjóri vörumerkisins Zao, starfaði við upphaf Laboratoire Phytotechnique þá forstjór þess frá 2006 til 2013.

Við treystum á gæði þessara lífrænu vara frá þessum aðilum.

Þú getur fundið út hvar varan er framleidd á merkimiða vörunnar (t.d. "Made in Italy").

Vottanir eru gefnar til kynna á hverri Zao vöru með lógóum af vottunum sem við á.

Vottanirnar er einnig til staðar í kynningarefni vörumerkisins sem hver sölustaður getur sýnt fram á.

The shelf life is calculated according to the following criteria:
– Product nature: shower gel, day cream, toothpaste, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lipstick, etc.;
– Packaging type: opened jar, airtight pump bottle, tube, etc.;
– Accelerated age test results before being placed on the market.

As a consequence, an organic cosmetic product can have the same shelf life as a non-organic one. Depending on the packaging used, it can even be longer!

The European regulation n ° 1223/2009 of cosmetic products stipulates that the minimum durability date must be indicated on the packaging. This is the date until which the cosmetic product continues to fulfil its function, subject to being stored under appropriate conditions. However, it is not mandatory to indicate this date on cosmetic products with a minimum durability more than 30 months.

The shelf life for Zao products are:

• For emulsions (which contain water), the shelf life is 36 months


• For dense textures (without water) such as lipsticks, lip gloss, pencils, the shelf life is 48 months


• For all dry products such as powders (loose or compact), the shelf life is 60 months.

An organic ingredient comes from organic farming. For example, it could be a plant and a plant derivative. But these are not enough to formulate cosmetic products which also require, depending on its nature, water (sometimes up to 90%), minerals such as pigments, clay (sometimes up to 100%) and other ingredients. Water and minerals do not come from organic farming. Therefore, they cannot be certified. So a cosmetic product that contains 80% water, 10% minerals and 10% organic ingredients contains only 10% organic ingredients and yet certified organic at its best.

What matters most is the amount of organic ingredients used compared to the amount of vegetal ingredients. A cosmetic product certified as organic shall contain at least 95% organic ingredients out of the total vegetable ingredients, 10% organic ingredients out of the total ingredients and 95% natural ingredients or of natural origin.

Please see a summary chart following this link: http://www.cosmebio.org/fr/nos-label.php

Zao products organic certified contain as many organic ingredients as possible. Thus, there is often more than 10% of organic ingredients and soon more than 20% thanks to the European organic certification COSMOS.

COSMOS is the European harmonised standard for natural and organic cosmetics.

This standard is a document that states the requirements to obtain organic certification of cosmetic products: ingredients and products composition, nature of packaging, manufacturing, packaging, storage, document management and communication.

In France, we often come across Ecocert standard. You can find Ecocert logo on ZAO certified products.

Ecocert and its 4 other partners (BDIH in Germany, Cosmebio in France, ICEA in Italy and The Soil Association in Great Britain) have put together their values, skills and their vision of organic cosmetics to find a common standard for all of them after many years of work. Starting from January 1, 2017, new certified organic products are only certified according to COSMOS standard.

For more information please visit: http://cosmos-standard.org/cosmos-standard-aisbl/

The transition to the European harmonised standard was anticipated while creating Zao products. Most of them are compatible with Cosmos. However, as the standard requirements are more strict than that of Ecocert, some ingredients are now refused. Raw material suppliers should now disclose much more confidential information than before to be approved by Cosmos so are reluctant to do it. That is why some of our products were reformulated during the past few years.

Organic cosmetic products are as effective as non-organic ones. Indeed, if we look at the total ingredients used, an organic cosmetic product generally has more active ingredients. Each ingredient has not only a primary function in the product but also other properties that gives an advantage to organic cosmetics compared to non-organic.

Nevertheless, there are still some limits to organic cosmetics :

• Difficult to make a waterproof makeup


• Difficult to achieve the deep red colour because Zao refuses to use carmine pigment from cochineal extract.

Please note that we are working on these two issues part of our R&D project.

The organic certification of Zao beauty brand ensures the products are GMO-free.

The absence of GMOs is one of the key principles of the organic cosmetics standards (Ecocert or Cosmos). The ingredients used must be derived from renewable sources and transformed by the processes respectful of humans and the environment. Ingredients derived from GMO plants do not comply with this fundamental rule. Each certification body (for example Ecocert) is responsible for checking all the ingredients before the brand can add them to their cosmetic formulas. Thus, the certification guarantees that there is no GMOs in ZAO cosmetic products.

Organic certification according to Ecocert or Cosmos standards guarantees products that are respectful of both people and the environment. Certification bodies have evaluated certain nanomaterials as being safe for users of cosmetic products.
Certain nanomaterials, such as mineral screens (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide), are therefore exclusively accepted in certified organic sun care products.

At Zao, we have chosen to prioritize zinc oxide over titanium dioxide for our certified organic sun care products. The concern raised by these nanoparticles is their ability to penetrate the body and accumulate. This is called bio-persistence.
Zao has chosen to use zinc oxide as a sun filter instead of titanium dioxide for the following reasons:

1-A study conducted in 2012 by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety on nano-form zinc oxide shows that there is no evidence of zinc oxide absorption by our body.
(https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/zinc-oxide/en/index.htm)

2-Unlike titanium dioxide, zinc oxide shows greater solubility in water, which explains its greater ease of elimination by the body and reduces the risks of bio-persistence. When zinc oxide dissolves in water, it creates zinc (in ionic form Zn++) and hydroxide (2OH-). Zinc is naturally present in the body.

3-Unlike titanium, which does not exist in the human body, zinc is present in the body. In a healthy adult, the body contains on average about 2 to 3 grams of zinc in total. Most of the zinc is present in the muscles, bones, skin, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and eyes. It is important to maintain an adequate balance of zinc in the body because zinc is essential for many biological functions, including growth, development, immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and enzyme regulation.

4-Studies show that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can be found in a wider variety of tissues, including the liver, lungs, and brain, suggesting some bio-persistence. In contrast, zinc oxide nanoparticles are less frequently detected in these tissues, indicating more efficient biodegradation or elimination.

Given the current state of knowledge, we believe that among all the sun care cosmetics on the market, those containing only zinc oxide present the least risk both for human health and the environment.

As you know, our cosmetic formulas contain mineral ingredients such as pigments, mica, or mineral silica.

Minerals extracted from soil contain impurities in very low quantities expressed in ppm (parts per million: 1ppm = 0.0001%). The most regulated impurities are heavy metals. Nickel falls into heavy metals group, but also arsenic, mercury, lead, zinc, copper, chromium, cadmium and barium.

As of today, the ingredients suppliers cannot guarantee the pigments without minor traces of heavy metals.

The only ingredients in our formulas that might contain heavy metals are mineral pigments. The international regulations have introduced maximum quantities for heavy metals. For example, the quantity of nickel allowed in a pigment is 50 ppm, i.e. 0.005%. Since the maximum concentration of a pigment in a formula is 20%, this means a maximum of 10ppm (0.001%) of nickel in the final product.

The solution for people sensitive to nickel is to use non-organic makeup products that contain synthetic pigments and dyes. Unfortunately, these synthetic ingredients have other significant side effects on humans and the environment.

We are hoping to be able to use vegetable pigments in the future that are free of heavy metals, which could provide our makeup products with the right colour intensity. This requires some scientific research, which we have started, but the results will not yet be available in the nearest future. To be continued...

Innihaldsefni sem notuð eru í lífrænt vottuðum vörum fara í gegnum stranga prófun og eftirlit áður en vottunaraðili gefur út vottunina. Lífræn hráefni koma úr lífrænum búskap þar sem notkun skordýraeiturs er stranglega bönnuð. Til dæmis bændur sem rækta lífrænar plöntur mega alls ekki nota nein eiturefni eða skordýraeitur við ræktun. Þó er þekkt að vindur getur því miður blásið eiturefnum frá nálægum ólífrænum ræktarstöðum (jafnvel þótt lágmarks fjarlægð milli lífrænnar ræktunar og ekki lífrænnar ræktunar sé framfylgt). Vegna þessa er erfitt að tryggja að engin eiturefni séu til staðar, en hins vegar er alveg öruggt að lífrænar snyrtivörur innihalda 1000-10.000 sinnum minna af eiturefnum en hefðbundnar snyrtivörur.

Since the end of 2018, the entire range of our products have been certified vegan, as we were able to eliminate the last ingredient of animal origin: organic beeswax, thanks to our R&D program.

All our products are now vegan labeled by the PETA organization. The logo represents a small rabbit with heart-shaped ears, well known to consumers.

The acronym PETA means : People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA has more than 3 million members and supporters, this is the world's largest animal rights organization.

Being labeled vegan means that ZAO Make-Up excludes in its products, accessories and packaging all raw materials of animal origin. Which means there is no presence of beeswax or carmine. For exemple, the brush hairs are made of nylon.

The Zao Eco-box is a collection, recycling and recovery solution for used refills, sticks, bottles, tubes and buckets entirely designed by the Zao brand. It takes the form of a small cardboard collection box available from Zao retailers and guarantees the recycling and recovery of the packaging collected, by selected players within a radius of 200 km around our offices.

With the aim of limiting unnecessary packaging as much as possible, our products are refillable, sold in a reusable fabric pouch, without disposable packaging. Thus, thanks to our bamboo packaging, you have the possibility to replace only the refill of our products.
However, we have realised that these refills, although designed with recyclable materials, are considered as specific waste due to their small size and therefore cannot currently integrate any classic recycling channel. Thus, if we put them in the sorting bin, they will not be recognised in the sorting centre and cannot be recovered.
Furthermore, our customers are a public sensitive to environmental issues and waste reduction, who regularly ask us about the recyclability of our products once they have been used. The Eco-box is therefore also the answer to these growing demands.
Via the Zao Eco-box, we are reinforcing our desire to be irreproachable in the quality of our products, from their design to their end of life. If the recycling of these materials is possible, we wish to guarantee it by offering a collection solution, with the certainty that they will be recovered.

- Refills for Mascaras, Eyeliners, Lip Gloss, Inks and Varnishes, Lip Care Oil, Fluid Lip Balm, Fluid Eye Primer, Light Touch
- The refill sticks for Lipsticks, Lip Balms, Lip Scrubs, Correcteurs
- The capsule refills of Mineral silk
- The tubes of Foundation, Foundation, BB cream
- The cups of Blushes, Eyeshadows, Compact Powders, Terracotta, Shine-up Powder, Compact Foundations;

It is not necessary to wash them, even soiled they will be recycled!

Are also accepted:
Textile pouches and bamboo packs which you no longer need and which should be put, if possible, in an envelope to avoid being soiled by used refills.

Ensuring a preliminary sorting allows us to work with specialised professionals for each of the materials and thus to have more visibility on the associated recovery sector. We have estimated that we could capture up to 1 tonne per year of used refills, sticks, tubes and buckets. This recovery solution is part of a global reflection, thanks to which we guarantee that this specific waste has a second life and is no longer buried or incinerated.

As consumers, your support and participation in this eco-responsible project are fundamental. We are therefore counting on you to deposit your used refills, sticks, bottles, tubes and buckets in the Zao Eco-box and thus enable us to ensure their recovery.

The ZAO Eco-box is a solution for collecting, recycling and recovering used refills, sticks, bottles, tubes and buckets entirely designed by the Zao brand. It takes the form of a small cardboard collection box available from Zao retailers and guarantees the recycling and recovery of the packaging collected, by selected players within a radius of 200 km around our premises.

From February 2020, all our retailers will gradually equip themselves with a Zao Eco-box. It will therefore be available in all our points of sale. It's up to you!